Tip-Off: 7 PM CT
Location: Paycom Center (Oklahoma City, Oklahoma)
Television: Bally Sports Oklahoma
Radio: WWLS 98.1FM OKC The Sports Animal
Twitter: Follow @ZacharyLowNBA for live-tweets and discussion during the game
The All-Star Break is over, the Oklahoma City Thunder is back in action tonight, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is set to make his return after missing the last 10 games with a sprained ankle. The home stretch is finally here, and the Thunder is set to finish with a losing record for the second straight season and just the third time in franchise history.
Tonight the Thunder hosts the Phoenix Suns who are absolutely dominating the Western Conference with a 48-10 record. The Suns have already clinched a spot in the play-in tournament for the playoffs, but with a 6.5-game lead on the Golden State Warriors, they have a very good chance of clinching the top seed in the West.
The Thunder has lost to the Suns twice so far this season, both in Phoenix, and neither game had a particularly close finish. Chris Paul is set to miss the rest of the regular season for Phoenix with a fracture in his right thumb, but the Suns are still a well-rounded team that should continue to find success.
Phoenix is a double-digit favorite against the Thunder tonight, and rightfully so, but I would not be surprised in the least if Shai Gilgeous-Alexander came out with something to prove and helped OKC keep this one close.
Projected Starters
Thunder
- PG: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
- SG: Josh Giddey
- SF: Aaron Wiggins
- PF: Darius Bazley
- C: Isaiah Roby
Suns
- PG: Aaron Holiday
- SG: Devin Booker
- SF: Mikal Bridges
- PF: Jae Crowder
- C: Deandre Ayton
Injuries
Thunder
- Luguentz Dort is OUT (strained left shoulder).
- Ty Jerome is OUT (left hip soreness).
- Mike Muscala is OUT (right ankle soreness).
- Jeremiah Robinson-Earl is OUT (third metatarsal fracture in right foot).
- Kenrich Williams is OUT (sprained right knee).
Suns
- Frank Kaminsky is OUT (stress reaction in right knee).
- Chris Paul is OUT (avulsion fracture in right thumb).
- Cameron Payne is OUT (sprained right wrist).
- Dario Saric is OUT (right ACL tear).
Head-to-Head
- Since arriving in Oklahoma City in 2008, the Thunder is 30-17 against the Suns (17-5 at home, 13-12 on the road).
- Since arriving in Oklahoma City in 2008, the Thunder has won the season series against the Suns 9 times, tied once, and lost 3 times.
- The Thunder lost the season series with the Suns 1-2 a year ago (0-1 at home, 1-1 on the road).
- The Thunder is 0-2 against the Suns so far this season (0-0 at home, 0-2 on the road).